Rejection of Amazon deal is Florida's loss

The details of the discussions between Scott and the company, which revolutionized online retailing, are not clear -- so perhaps Amazon asked for more than it would give.

But the proposed construction of one or more Amazon shipping warehouses would have expanded the property tax base and created hundreds -- if not thousands -- of much-needed jobs.

What's more, Amazon's establishment of a physical presence would have made it easy for Florida to require the retailer to collect the state's sales tax. Currently, Internet-based retailers must collect state sales tax only if they have a physical presence in Florida. Purchasers are required by state law to self-report the taxes due, but compliance isn't monitored.

Like key members of the House of Representatives, Scott mistakenly views collection of the online sales tax as a tax increase. That position led the governor to nix the deal with Amazon, Scott's staff said.

This stance defies common sense. The tax is already due, it's just not collected. Plus, retailers with stores in Florida must collect the tax, putting them at a disadvantage. Businesses selling goods online must also collect the tax if they have stores in the state.

Unfortunately, a Senate bill requiring online collection of the tax failed to pass the House last month. As a result, Florida not only forgoes revenue from online sales but it has failed to attract modern-age jobs.